Auslöschung (2018)

Auslöschung: Directed by Alex Garland. With Natalie Portman, Benedict Wong, Sonoya Mizuno, David Gyasi. A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply.

“Alex Garland loudly and impressively announced his presence in the directing world in 2015 with his debut film, Ex Machina. His follow up doesnu0026#39;t disappoint, as he once again showcases a talent for boldly bringing sci-fi to the big screen in a thoughtful and visually awing way. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWith that said… this movie isnu0026#39;t as clean as Ex Machina. Itu0026#39;s clunky in its delivery of the filmu0026#39;s message, which is foggy. Iu0026#39;m still not certain what this movie is about.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIs it about the different ways that we self-destruct? What we do to hurt ourselves without even necessarily being aware of it? Or is it about life and change? What at first seems like destruction or annihilation is actually just an alteration or even an evolution. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAgain, the answer is unclear. But the good news is that didnu0026#39;t bother me. I enjoyed the heck out of this movie!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDoes every scene work? No. Are certain plot lines about main charactersu0026#39; relationship issues necessary? No. But none of the flaws mattered much to me because I found the rest of the movie to be so magnetic. The visuals and music attached to this magical, dreamlike place-the shimmer-sucked me in and left me in awe for extended sequences. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCertain scenes, especially moments in the movieu0026#39;s second half, are so captivating that the flaws and underdeveloped aspects that make up the rest of the movie seem irrelevant. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie takes your breath away in different ways. Sometimes itu0026#39;s terrifying. Other times itu0026#39;s spectacularly beautifully original. Other times itu0026#39;s befuddling. I enjoyed it all.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThatu0026#39;s why I look past the storyu0026#39;s weaknesses. Iu0026#39;ve opted to focus on the mesmerizing depiction of the area/the shimmer. Bringing that to the big screen feels like a spectacular feat of filmmaking. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe performances from the actors are all fine. Nothing wowing, which is a bit disappointing considering how the loaded the cast is. Tessa Thompson is an absolute comet. Natalie Portman is well-respected for good reason. Oscar Isaac crushes every movie heu0026#39;s in. He does an admirable job in Annihilation. All the actors do. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI certainly prefer charismatic, sparkling eyes Isaac, but he flexes his versatility here by playing a spacey, confused dude. An odd moment worth mentioning: Oscar Isaac vacillates in and out of a southern accent in one scene. Itu0026#39;s jarring and inexplicable. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut most viewers probably wonu0026#39;t notice that. Thereu0026#39;s a chance that I imagined the whole thing. This movie can mess with your mind (in a fun way). I consider this a must-see for sci-fi fans and anyone in the mood for an otherworldly experience but doesnu0026#39;t want to use hallucinogenic drugs.”